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3 jawans martyred, 12 terrorists gunned down in separate encounters in south Kashmir

Twelve terrorists, including top commanders, were killed on Sunday in multiple encounters with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian and Anantnag district. Two encounters are simultaneously underway in Shopian, one in Dragad village, and the other in Kachdoora village.

Agencies | Updated: Apr 1, 2018, 20:43 IST

Highlights

Twelve terrorists have been killed in an encounter in Dragad village in Shopian

One terrorist was gunned down and another was arrested alive in Anantnag's Dialgam area

Three Army personnel were martyred in the gunfight

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SRINAGAR: Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 12 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed.

At a hurriedly called joint press conference of army, police and CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir police chief S P Vaid said this is one of the biggest counter-offensives in recent times against terror groups operating in the Kashmir Valley.

"Encounter concluded. One more terrorist body recovered from Shopian encounter site. In all 12 terrorists neutralized (one more being ascertained), three soldiers martyred and one terrorist caught alive. It’s unfortunate that stone pelting around encounter site cost four civilian deaths," Vaid tweeted.

The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search the debris again tomorrow, the officials said.

Earlier, at a press conference called at Victor Force headquarters at Awantipura, around 33 kilometres from here, Corps Commander of XV Corps, Lt Gen A K Bhatt, termed it one of the biggest operations in recent times and said the death of Lt Umar Fayaz, who was brutally killed in Shopian last year, had been avenged.

"Among the militants killed are Ishfaq Malik and Rayees Thokar. They were responsible for his death," Bhatt said.

Fayaz, 22, was killed by terrorists in May last year. His body was found with bullet wounds in the Hermain area of Shopian district in south Kashmir.

The DGP also made a special mention of an SSP's efforts to convince a terrorist to surrender during the Dialgam encounter.

"I would like to make a special mention about the Dialgam encounter where our Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) made a special effort, which is unheard of in any part of the world."

"He called the family members of one of the terrorists. They spoke with him for 30 minutes, to convince him to surrender," the officer said.

"Unfortunately, he did not heed the advice of his family. During the talks, the district SSP tried to get him over. Instead he fired on the police leaving them with no option other than to retaliate. He was killed. The other one was caught alive," he said.

On the operations at Kachedoora, the DGP said there was information about the presence of four to five terrorists, but "we will be able to give a clear picture only after the debris is cleared".

One civilian death was reported from Draggad and the other at Kachudoora, both in Shopian district, the police chief said.

Violence broke out at the Kachedoora encounter site in which 25 civilians received pellet injuries while six others suffered bullet injuries, the police chief said.

The DGP said that all the seven terrorists killed in the Draggad encounter were locals and their bodies have been claimed by their families.

Inspector General of CRPF Zulfikar Hassan pointed out that people came in large numbers at the encounter site in Shopian.

"The operations will not stop and we will have to take all offensive measures in case they do not refrain from throwing stones at the jawans engaged in the counter-insurgency operations," he said.

Mobile internet, train services suspended

Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been suspended in Kashmir as a precautionary measure following the encounters, officials said.

Internet services on mobile devices were snapped shortly after clashes broke out at many places in south Kashmir and some parts of the city this afternoon, an official said.

He said the decision to snap internet services was taken as a precautionary measure to prevent mischievous elements from creating law and order problems.

The authorities also suspended train services in Kashmir as a precautionary step. Miscreants have targeted trains during law and order situations in the past.

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